The Avro Lancaster was possibly the finest bomber of World War Two. Capable of lifting huge loads, yet a delight to fly, it spearheaded Bomber Command's night offensive over Germany. Post-war it went on to serve as a maritime patrol aircraft, and served into the 1950s. The full story of this enigmatic aircraft from its develop...

The Boeing 747 was introduced into service in 1970. Capable of carrying up to 500 passengers, it drastically reduced seat per mile costs, making intercontinental travel far more affordable. This book describes the background to the design and development of these highly successful aeroplanes. ...

This is a guide for spotters and enthusiasts interested in airliners, feederliners, executive jets, light aircraft and other commercial aeroplanes. It contains three-view silhouettes, colour photographs, dimensions, technical specifications and a potted history of those aircraft most likely to be seen in the skies and at airpor...

Concorde is the only successful supersonic airliner that there has ever been. The product of a collaboration between British and French aviation industries, Concorde first flew in 1969, and entered service in 1976. By the time of it first commercial flight the high hopes for the aircraft’s adoption by airlines across the world...

The de Havilland DH.106 Comet was the world's first pure-jet airliner. Powered by four de Havilland Ghost turbojet engines and accommodating its passengers in a pressurized cabin, the Comet offered new levels of speed, comfort and smoothness to the air traveller when it entered service with BOAC in 1952. Soon the Comet's succe...

Since its first flight on 27 April 2005, the Airbus A380 has been the largest passenger airliner in the world. Instantly recognizable with its full-length upper deck, it represents the pinnacle of modern airliner design. Flying the A380 gives a pilot's eye view of what it is like to fly this mighty machine. It takes the reader...

This manual has been produced for students undertaking their basic helicopter training. It concentrates on explaining not only how and why the helicopter flies but also on the correct handling techniques needed to master the flying exercises required to obtain a helicopter pilot's licence. The simpliflied text together with a...

This second volume of The Helicopter Pilot's Manual provides a natural follow-on to Norman Bailey's first manual. It also aims to instruct and help the would-be pilot to pass the PPL(H) and is concerned with the mechanical aspects of the examination. The large section on gas-turbine engines provides essential reading for those...

This revised and expanded edition covers some of the more advanced piloting skills required to fly a helicopter over difficult terrain or in demanding circumstances. Mountains and hills present some of the most frequently encountered problems, as do adverse weather conditions, winter operations, carrying loads, forced landing...

Lockheed F-104 Starfighter is the story of the ‘missile with a man in it’, Lockheed’s Mach 2 interceptor, that served across the world for over thirty years. Here, Martin W Bowman tells of the design, production and long career of this impressive and sometimes misunderstood aeroplane. With a fine collection of photographs and ...

Lightning! One of the best-named aircraft of WW2, the Lockheed P-38 was also one of the few fighters in production throughout hostilities. Immediately recognizable by its twin-boom tail layout, the P-38 Lightning was one of the mainstays of the USAAFs fighter inventory. Deployed in all theatres, Lightnings excelled in most, be...

The Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird remains to this day the most sophisticated manned spyplane ever built and operated. It grew from the CIA-funded A-12, which made its maiden flight at the legendary Area 51 on 26 April 1962. The A-12 was developed into the legendary SR-71 Blackbird, but not before its siblings, the F-12 and M-21 were...

The Messerschmitt 262 takes its place in history as the world's first turbojet powered combat aircraft. Messerschmitt Me 262 covers the aeroplane's development in 1938 and operational use in 1944. Personalities and events surrounding the story are covered including a listing of all sub-types and surviving airframes. Fully illu...

The P-51 Mustang is one of the greatest warplanes of all time. Developed as a private venture, it was seized upon by the British as the answer to their shortage of fighter aircraft in the early months of World War Two. Early Allison-engined Mustangs lacked performance at high altitude, but the great promise of the airframe was ...

The Soaring Pilot's Manual advances the reader from elementary flying to confident soaring by clearly and precisely explaining the basic soaring mechanisms and techniques. Explanatory diagrams illustrate the text throughout, making a complicated subject simple to understand. Having covered the first steps, the book progresses t...

"Patter" is the term given by flying instructors to the language they use whilst demonstrating training exercises in the air. It is a very special language as it has to be precisely co-ordinated with control movements and absolutely lucid. "Patter" is also a picture language because the art of flying is largely about visual cu...

If your dream is to be an airline pilot, or you would like to know what it takes, this book reflects the experiences, thoughts and findings of a trainee pilot throughout the journey that took him into the right-hand seat of a jet airliner. The book covers everything that you need to consider before and during the training proc...

For over a quarter of a century this book has been a leading source of information for those who wish to find out about flying and what it takes to become a pilot. This new edition contains full details of the latest harmonized European legislation. The book advises on how to become a private, commercial, airline or military p...